Poll-who uses remineralization supplements w/ RO/DI water?

[Anonymous]

I've seen various different supplements that claim to replace the beneficial minerals that a striped by the RO/DI.

Are these suppplements really beneficial?

Let's take a poll!

Louey

 

[SPC]

NO!
Steve

 

[montie]

according to mr sprung, regular water changes replace the need for adding millions of additives

 

[EmilyB]

Remineralization supplement is called salt mix

 

[Anacanapoonistat]

They're good if your using the water for a FW tank. Otherwise it's all in the salt mix.

 

[MattM]

I disagree on this one. Yes, for a water change, the salt mix is all you need. However, we have found Kent Osmo-Prep or Tropic Marin Re-Mineral to be of value in top-off water to keep the alkalinity of the system high.

Either you add this to your RO water, or you periodically add a buffer compound to your tank. Either way you need to make up for carbonate depletion (either from organic acid neutralization or from calcification).

Two different routes to the same ends.

 

[EmilyB]

[ April 28, 2002: Message edited by: EmilyB ]</p>

 

[SPC]

Posted by Matt:
However, we have found Kent Osmo-Prep or Tropic Marin Re-Mineral to be of value in top-off water to keep the alkalinity of the system high.

-Matt, my question is what else is in these products that may be building up in my reef? I have had no problem with my alk as I have always used either a 2 part or kalk. Why would I want to add something else when these are effective at balancing my alk and calcium?
Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, I am interested in your answer to Steve's question.

Louey

 

[MattM]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by SPC:
<strong>my question is what else is in these products that may be building up in my reef?</strong><hr></blockquote>

The Kent product is sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, carbonate and bicarbonate. I don't have the Tropic Marin Re-Mineral in front of me, but it's similar, containing most buffer, but some trace elememts as well.

The idea behind both products is that your tap water contains both good things (carbonate, bicarbonate, magnesium, etc.) and bad things (nitrate, silicate, phosphate, etc.). RO/DI takes out everything, and these products put back the good stuff.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote

<strong>I have had no problem with my alk as I have always used either a 2 part or kalk.</strong>

Then there is no reason for you to use these. Two part supplements provide all the buffering compound and trace elements you need.

However, we have seen customers whose RO water comes out with a lower than normal pH and they are always adding extra buffer to keep their alkalinity up. These products solve that problem at the source.

[ April 28, 2002: Message edited by: MattM ]</p>

 

[Mouse]

I do, but only in my top off water sometimes. Just to try ank keep ALK stable on the addition of it.

 

[SPC]

Posted by Matt:
However, we have seen customers whose RO water comes out with a lower than normal pH

-Matt, do you think these people could place a power head in their RO container to solve the same problem, drive off CO2?
Steve

 

[DEADFISH1]

he, he, I'm using Kent salt, no Osmo Prep for me.

This is on the lable:
"Osmo•Prep is not required for Kent Sea Salt because it is designed for purified water, but may be used if you desire higher buffer, calcium and magnesium levels."

http://www.kentmarine.com/opm.html

 

[MattM]

I would say that's true for any good quality salt (Kent, Instant Ocean, Tropic Marin).

As I mentioned in my first post to this thread, the value of these products is really in top-off water, not for water changes.

 

[MattM]

Steve -

I'm not sure, since I don't have a good understanding of why their pH is low at RO output.

If I remember, there was a topic on this a while back and Randy Holmes-Farley had some input on the subject. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[MattM]

Steve -

I found the thread I was thinking of, and you're right, it is CO2 that is mostly responsible for the lowered pH, but only because of the complete lack of buffering comounds in the RO water.

So I don't know what effect a powerhead would have. The CO2 converts to carbonic acid (H2CO3) as soon it hits the water.

The other solution, of course, is to add a buffer to the RO water, but that sort of brings us back to the original question...

 

[DEADFISH1]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by MattM:
<strong>I would say that's true for any good quality salt (Kent, Instant Ocean, Tropic Marin).

As I mentioned in my first post to this thread, the value of these products is really in top-off water, not for water changes.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I've been using the Kent Super Buffer in my top off water, it appears to have the same ingredient's as the Osmo-Prep, is their a difference in the amount of ingredient's or something?

Should I be using the Osmo-Prep instead of Super buffer in the top off?

not trying to beat this to death, just wondering if Osmo-Prep is better than Super Buffer in a top off or if I'm applying the Super Buffer in the wrong manner.

 

[Anonymous]

Randy Holmes Farley-Thanks! An answer that makes sense.

So using "some" remineralization products in my make up water would result in the need for less Bionic, which I have used.

I would not use the remineralization products in RO/DI water that will be mixed with kalk.

Thanks for the replies!

Louey

 

[randy holmes-farley]

Some of the products that claim remineralization of RO/DI water clearly have some beneficial uses. These would be products that are essentially calcium carbonate. An example is Aragamight, but simple southdown sand may work just as well (testing this in the near future).

In the RO/DI water, the calcium carbonate dissolves to put some calcium and some carbonate alkalinity into the water. More will dissolve if you aerate the water during dissolution, permitting CO2 to enter the system and increase solubility.

You would NOT want to do this if the water were destined for limewater. But, if the tank is run on a CaCO3/CO2 reactor, putting this material into the top off water would help raise the pH.

Likewise, if you are using an expensive supplement like B-ionic, it will cut down, to a small extent, on the B-ionic use.

In a VERY lightly loaded tank, it might even be enough to maintain calcium and alkalinity.